Geofencing is an exciting technology that helps companies manage where and how their workers access company tools and data on their mobile devices. Here’s what you need to know about this game-changing technology.
What Is Geofencing?
Think of geofencing as a digital fence around your work site. When workers are inside the fence, they can access your company’s tools and data on their mobile devices. When they are outside the fence, certain apps and tools no longer become available. It’s a way for your company to control what workers can and cannot do with your data depending on where they are.
According to our SaaS partner SOTI, geofencing relies on GPS or RFID technology. These technologies track where a mobile device is. When geofencing technologies detect a device is outside (or has come inside) a defined area, they trigger other apps on the device to turn off (or turn on).
What Can Geofencing Do for My Company?
Geofencing has a broad range of applications for companies. First and foremost, geofencing helps you control who has access to your data and where they can see and use it.
More than 10 million employee devices are lost or stolen every year. With geofencing, companies can block users from accessing sensitive company information when devices are outside the geofenced area. Whether you operate a 5,000 square-foot office or a stadium-sized construction site, geofencing can keep your business-critical data secured within your defined location.
Another thing geofencing can do for your company is track fleet vehicles. Geofencing technology can define separate zones within a single worksite to offer varying levels of security. It can also track when a device-enabled vehicle enters or leaves a site. When triggered, devices can send alerts or warnings to a driver to stay out of or reenter a work zone.
Geofencing also gives you the opportunity to educate employees in real time. This is especially valuable for construction and other hazardous industries. For example, if an employee enters a hardhat-required area, they could receive a push notification on their device with a link to a safety video explaining why hardhats are required. Workers would need to watch the video before spending time in the work zone. Or, you could set up geofencing zones to automatically alert anyone on-site that they are near a live wire, hole, or dangerous materials. Some companies use geofencing to push safety checklists to workers. One oil and gas company implemented this process and experienced a 20 percent drop in workplace injuries.
Why Should I Invest in Geofencing at My Company?
Not only does geofencing protect your data and your employees, it can also save your company money. Time theft is an issue that affects three-quarters of all businesses. With geofencing, companies can automate time clocking, starting the clock when a worker enters the work zone and stopping it when they leave. Companies that use these technologies to run their time clocks find that it attracts good workers, too, as they ensure pay accuracy and automates the responsibility of clocking in and out.
If you’re in the transportation industry or manage a vehicle fleet, here’s one last geofencing superpower: expense control. Most companies that manage fleets lose money to the additional wear and tear, fuel, and time costs of drivers going to an incorrect location or taking an inefficient route. Geofencing technologies alert drivers when they are embarking on an unapproved route and guide them back to an approved route. This improves the efficiency of operations and saves companies money in the long run.
If your company isn’t taking advantage of everything geofencing technology has to offer, it’s time to get in touch with the experts at eSquared. We can help you identify the right geofencing solution for you and deploy it across all of your devices. Our award-winning support desk is available to you and your employees to make sure everything goes off without a hitch.
